“Got some good cider,” the “Cap’n” called in reply, with strong emphasis on the last word.

“Come alongside, then!”

The “Cap’n” condescended to lean a little on his oars in pursuit of a bargain, and sent the little boat spinning over the water toward one of the barges in the rear part of the “tow.”

Some men in a row were lounging over the rail; one of them threw a rope, which hissed and splashed close to the boat.  Perry caught it, and they were soon under the lee of the floating village.

While the store was unlocked, and its wares handed out, Mandy noticed, on the deck above, a woman washing a little boy three or four years old.  He stood in an old wooden pail, with a rope tied to the handle,—­his little white body, all naked and slippery, shining in the sun.  One could hardly help noticing him, he screamed so lustily as the water was dashed over his head and shoulders.

Mandy saw how his face showed red and flushed with crying, under the dripping yellow locks.

She thought uneasily of the baby, lying all alone on the old dock; wondered if the sun had got round so as to shine in his face, and how long the “Cap’n” would stand there, talking with those men.  She was happy again when the boat dropped behind and the “Cap’n” turned toward the shore.

“Perry,” he said, “just look at my watch—­there in my weskit-pocket on the starn-seat.  What time’s it got to be?”

“Twenty minutes to one,” said Perry.

“What time’d I say we’d have them shad up there?  One o’clock?  Wal, one o’clock it’ll be, then.  Only we can’t leave this little gal ashore till we come back.”

“Oh, please——­” Mandy began, in great dismay as she saw they were passing the fishing-dock.  “The baby!  He’s there all alone, and—­oh, Bub, the shawl’s gone!  I must go ashore, Cap’n Kent—­please!”

“Never mind, sissy; baby’s all right.  Bless my soul! who’d want to carry off a baby?  There aint no wild beasts roamin’ round, and most of us’s got babies enough o’ our own to hum, without borryin of the neighbors.  You’ll find him there all safe enough when we get back.  Them shad, ye see, was promised at one o’clock up to the hotel.  Cap’n Kent, ye know, he never breaks his word.”

“But you said——?” Mandy began, in a distressed voice, when Bub interrupted her.

“You’d better keep quiet, Mandy.  You would come, ‘n’ now I hope you’ll get enough of it!”

That was a very long twenty minutes to Mandy, while they drew slowly nearer and nearer to the steamboat-landing, and the little white and brown houses of the fishermen, scattered along shore, one by one were left behind.

“Now, Perry,” the “Cap’n” said, as he unshipped his oars, while the children clambered out of the boat, “just look at that ere watch again.  See if the Cap’n aint as good as his word.  Five minutes to one, eh?  Didn’t I tell ye?  Hello, sissy!  Where’s that gal goin’ to now?  What’s your hurry?  I’ll take ye back in half an hour.”